Mortality of Chinook and Coho Salmon in Their First Year of Ocean Life following Catch and Release by Anglers

The mortality of chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and coho salmon O. kisutch in their first year of ocean life following catch and release by anglers was examined. Five factors were recorded for each landed fish: species, hook type, barb type, injury location, and mortality. For the first time, a recursive causal model was used to analyze hooking mortality data. The data suggest that hooking mortality is better described by a two-stage process than by traditional logistic models. Injury location is affected by hook type and barb type in the first stage, and mortality is affected by injury location and species in the second stage, Overall estimated mortality following release from sportfishing gear was approximately 30% for chinook salmon and 14% for coho salmon.